180 to 200+mm fans, bearings and orientation

[BonzaiDuck]

I thought I read a customer review which claimed that these large fans would begin to fail or behave erratically in a horizontal orientation.

So my question: Is this true?

Which fans, with what type of bearings and of this size-class are reliable in any of the two perpendicular orientations or any orientation in between for that matter?

If I don't have any real experience in testing these ideas, I'm troll . . ah . . . fishing for the few folks who might know . . .

 

[BonzaiDuck]

so . . . No thoughts or "intel" about this?

 

[Automaticman]

It's sleeve bearings that can have issues when mounted horizontally, they will start getting very and wear out. Rifle bearings, ball bearings, and fluid bearings like Noctua's SSO2 bearings are a better choice.

Here's a pretty good read about bearings:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/779-computer-case-fan-bearing-differences

In the 200mm range on Newegg, NZXT makes both rifle and sleeve (obviously go for the rifle bearing), BitFenix has a line of fluid bearing fans, and Antec has ball bearing fans. All of those should work fine in any orientation.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

It's sleeve bearings that can have issues when mounted horizontally, they will start getting very and wear out. Rifle bearings, ball bearings, and fluid bearings like Noctua's SSO2 bearings are a better choice.

Here's a pretty good read about bearings:

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/779-computer-case-fan-bearing-differences

In the 200mm range on Newegg, NZXT makes both rifle and sleeve (obviously go for the rifle bearing), BitFenix has a line of fluid bearing fans, and Antec has ball bearing fans. All of those should work fine in any orientation.

Then it's either the NZXT 166 CFM model (black and white -- no translucent parts) or the BitFenix Spectre Pro LED ~144CFM. In that class and range, the 22 CFM difference in the specification probably doesn't make a hill-a-beans difference. And they both require a modded mounting or kludge.

I've got this idea to build a water-cooled system in a HAF 922 using 200mm square Phobya radiator(s). Two seems possible, but I'll have to do something clever with the side-panel.

Good thing some of those fans are reasonably thin. Some 25mm, but I thought I saw some 20's. Probably the wrong bearing type.

Do you know anything about Apevia 200mm fans? I bought a sample of two. Seem quiet, but moderate air-handling. No option to integrate a switch with the LED. Chinese. Specs not provided clearly on the hub label, but you can make it out from the code: It's a 0.30A fan. At the rated speed ~600+ RPM, it doesn't surpass the Coolermaster units. And it may be overrated for CFM, either from Apevia's own specs, or the publication by naïve resellers.